


The Legends Are True 2.0

by itsybitsyish



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), Doctor Who
Genre: Alcohol, Chance Meeting, Crossover, Drinking, Flirting, Gen, Heroes, I forgot a couple of characters, I tried my best though, I've never written a full fic with so many characters and I'm not good at it!, Legends, M/M, Mechanics, TARDIS - Freeform, TARDIS Rooms, Theft, Time Travel, a little bit gay, beryllium, sorry - Freeform, stories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-28
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-07-03 18:45:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15824766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsybitsyish/pseuds/itsybitsyish
Summary: This is a complete reworking of a somewhat different story by the same title I attempted to write and then abandoned (for now, at least).The Doctor needs to land, and ends up on board the Waverider.Having been told of the Legends and their astounding adventures as a kid, she's very excited to meet them all!But, something happens to Rip, and the TARDIS gets stolen! Oh, no! What will happen next?Read on, fanfic connoisseur, and find out!





	1. Chapter 1

   The Legends were a busy crew.

Always had been, always would be.

Which was why it was kind of nice to have some downtime aboard the Waverider.

Of course, the reason that had instigated the time off from hunting anachronisms and setting things right wasn’t so nice; Nate’s powers seemed to have gone dormant and he’d become injured, badly so.

They could have continued along without him, but his wounds had prompted Rip to have them all take a bit of time to themselves.

After all, it wasn’t as if they’d ever taken an official break since they’d formed their group.

 

It had been during the third day of respite, when a distinct ‘vwoosh, vwoosh’ sort of sound had been heard from the kitchen area, followed by baffled cursing from Mick.

Within a matter of minutes, the rest of the crew had found the culprit – a wooden blue police box with all the lights on.

Before anyone could do much of anything, the door opened and a thin blonde with a bob looked at them in complete awe.

“ _You’re the Legends…_ ” She murmured, her tone one of reverence. “I can hardly believe it…”

“And, who might you be?” Rip asked inquisitively, coming to the front of the group.

This was certainly an unanticipated event, and considering the various high security measures in place, it was not something Rip would have thought was actually possible.

The stranger looked at him strangely, then cleared her throat and gave him an amiable smile. “I’m the Doctor. Sorry about the hasty landing in your ship, complete accident – it was either jump aboard or end up stranded. One of the energy system’s gone bananas, thrown everything off… I don’t suppose you’ve got any spare beryllium, would you? Only, my sphere’s damaged and needs to be repaired before I can even _think_ of continuing on my merry way.”

She looked at each of them in turn, unable to keep from beaming.

“I still can’t believe it!” The Doctor said, tucking a bit of hair behind an ear. “I used to hear bedtime stories about you lot as a kid – I made up all sorts of tales about you, wrote some of ‘em down, even. And, you’re _real_! Really real!”

Mick, who had been merely holding his unopened beer since the TARDIS had suddenly appeared in front of him, popped it open and took a swig. He had no idea what to think about this, other than the blonde was pretty darn cute. Nah, cute wasn’t quite the word he’d have used. She was _hot._

“And, you!” The Doctor turned her twinkling brown eyes on the captain. “Of all people, it’s _you_! Never would’ve called that one!”

Rip frowned in bewilderment, becoming more confused as she went on. “Might we continue this in my office?” He asked her, though it was less of a question and more of a polite command.

The Doctor shrugged. “Sure, why not?” She agreed easily, fiddling with a thin silver chain around her neck which ended beneath the shirt she was wearing, fishing out a key and locking the door to the TARDIS shut.

She followed Rip out of the kitchen, while the crew began talking amongst themselves of what had just taken place.


	2. Chapter 2

“Right, so you seem to know just who we are, and about the ship.” Rip began firmly, though his tone wasn’t harsh. “I realise that we _are_ Legends, after all, but the odds of some… _fangirl_ finding her way aboard when we have who knows how many people trying to locate us have to be pretty astronomical.”

The Doctor pressed her lips together, and frowned. “I definitely can’t blame you for not believing me, I suppose it would seem a bit outlandish… I could show you my fractured beryllium sphere, if that would help.”

“I’m not sure it would.” Rip replied, wondering how to proceed. “You say you’re a doctor, perhaps I could verify your position with the company you’re employed with.”

“Oh, I’m not _a_ doctor, I’m _the_ Doctor.” She corrected him, not that it seemed to clear anything up. “I don’t work for anybody.”

Perhaps it would’ve been easier to have invented a story, used her psychic paper, but it was too late for that now.

Rip looked at her vacantly.

“Look, I’m not here to cause trouble, honestly.” She assured him, looking at him rather closely.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” He asked, feeling uncomfortable.

“Sorry, it’s just that you… Well, you look rather like someone that I used to know.” The Doctor answered softly, the resemblance striking her very heart. “Dead ringer, actually.”

Rip blinked. “Mm, and who would that have been.” He asked, finding himself starting to become intrigued.

“Rory Arthur Williams.” She said the name with care, studying his eyes for a spark of recognition.

It didn’t seem to mean a thing to him.

“Ah, no idea who that is.” He replied, his interest waning as he stifled a yawn.

He’d been up late revisiting his old unsent letters to his family from before… Well, before he’d lost them forever.

The Doctor felt saddened, having half-expected him to have even just a scrap of her tucked away in his memories. Any little thing, really. But, _something._

“I will permit you to stay aboard for now, but the moment you give me reason to believe you’re any kind of threat, you will be removed. Working ship or no.” Rip told her, making sure she clearly understood there was no room for error on her part. “While you are aboard the Waverider, you will stick to the common areas and stay away from the console.

“Aye, aye.” She stated in a non-sarcastic way, giving him a salute.

Rip cleared his throat. “You, uh, you can go now. You’re dismissed.”

 

   The Doctor had gone back to the kitchen, a few members of the crew still milling about.

“I was just wondering… What sort of things _have_ you heard about us?” Jax asked her, unable to contain his curiosity.

She grinned at him. “Well, to start with, that Firestorm saved the entire world entirely alone one time. Kept the planet from being blown up by a, what do you guys call ‘em? … An anachronism!”

Jax raised his brows in surprise. “You’re kidding!”

“Nope!” The Doctor told him, shaking her head. “Also heard that you’re an ace mechanic, too.”

He nodded. “That’s about right, actually.” He joked lightly, thinking that she seemed nice.

“Do you mind if I ask you a question?” The Doctor inquired, leaning a bit closer.

Before Jax could answer, someone else spoke instead.

“You just did.” Leonard’s nasal voice came from their left, obviously bored already.

“Oh, wow, and you’re Captain Cold! Brilliant!” She said as she took a step toward him, voice slightly higher pitched than before. “I always pretended to be you when I acted out the stories with my mates. Such fun!”

He blinked, actually at a loss for words. He wasn’t entirely sure he’d even heard her correctly.

Mick came over and sat heavily beside his friend, handing him some kind of still ochre drink.

Leonard took it, giving it a small taste before knocking the liquid back.

“And, Heatwave! Even more muscles than I’d imagined.” She was getting excited again. “Sorry, still can’t believe I’m actually meeting the Legends.”

“Still seems a bit unbelievable to me.” Leonard stated, fully unimpressed.

He felt that if anyone was going to breach the ship, it wasn’t going to be some guiltless chick with a thing for their crew. It just didn’t make sense.

“So’s been most of the crap we’ve been through since stepping foot on this ship.” Mick pointed out, giving the Doctor a less than subtle once over in approval.

The Doctor shifted awkwardly, blushing beneath the big man’s gaze a shade anxiously. “Like I’ve already told your captain, it was an accident coming here. Albeit, a pretty amazing one, but an accident nonetheless.”

Leonard clicked his tongue doubtfully, but said nothing.

But, then, he didn’t need to.

“Come on, man, she seems all right.” Jax told him, before giving her an apologetic smile. “I was about to make something to eat, are you hungry?”

The Doctor smiled back. “That’s all right, I’m good.” She answered, thankful for the kindness. “I _am_ pretty thirsty, though…”

Jax gestured toward the beverage dispenser. “That’ll make you just about anything you could want. Except for tea… Ends up tasting like a vague memory of tea, instead of the real thing.”

The Doctor laughed. “I see. Well, there goes my hope for a nice cuppa.”

She looked at the controls, which weren’t clearly marked, and pressed a red square button.

 A bottle of beer appeared, and she took it.

The Doctor hadn’t had beer in a good three hundred years. She wondered how different it would be at this point in time.

Mick watched in interest as she removed the cap and tasted it thoughtfully.

“Not like I remember it.” She said, not sure if she was disappointed or not.

“And, how _do_ you remember it?” Mick asked, wondering if she’d mistaken it for ale.

She didn’t seem like much of a drinker, after all. It’d be an easy enough mistake for someone like that to make.

“Much, much stronger than this, and less carbonation. More of a dirt taste, with middle notes of bergamot and fennel.” She answered seriously, thinking back. “Not even slightly similar, except in colour.”

Mick considered the description. “Sounds like a good drink.”

Of course, if it had alcohol and he could safely consume it, then he generally considered it to be good.

“It was, actually, yes!” The Doctor said, tasting the beer again. “Wouldn’t mind having jotted the recipe down, but c’est la vie.”

Leonard gave his friend a look. He knew that this was the start of a flirt session. Not that this woman seemed to pick up on it.

“I think I’m going to have a lie down.” He told Mick, who gave a grunt of acknowledgement. “In case you want me later.”

The Doctor gave him a wave as he left, which he didn’t care to return.

“Your boyfriend doesn’t seem to like me very much.” She stated, and Mick chuckled.

“Boyfriend? Where’d you get that idea?” He asked with a hint of false amusement.

Mick wasn’t offended, but definitely quizzical.

The Doctor raised a brow. “Erm, well…”

 “Yeah?” Mick asked, waiting with his brows raised.

The fact of the matter was that in the legends she’d heard, Heatwave was hot for Captain Cold – that they had been rather close, intimate ‘companions’.

“It’s nothing, only an assumption. Sorry.” The Doctor lied, not sure how well he’d take learning the truth.

Mick’s jaw set as he began wondering what the crew must have been thinking if this newcomer had picked up that type of vibe straight away.

It wasn’t as if he and Leonard weren’t a thing, but they’d had a lot of practice keeping it to themselves and heavily guarding their more personal association.

He didn’t want to think about their secret getting out – the relationship they’d shared over the years was about the most precious thing he’d had in his life, and it had always been theirs in full, without so much as another soul knowing it.

“Mm.” Mick grunted, taking a swig from his beer and crossing his legs.

The Doctor felt uncomfortable. “I didn’t mean to offend you.” She offered, knowing it probably wouldn’t help much.

“It’s fine.” Mick replied, though his voice was more sombre than before.

The Doctor tipped her bottle upward, finishing the last half of her beer. “Well, I should really be talking to your captain… Maybe I’ll see you around the ship later.”

With that, she stood up and looked around. “I don’t suppose you’ve got a salvaging bin here?”

Mick gestured with a hand toward the sink.

“Ah! Lovely.” She said, going and popping the bottle into the blue bin, before giving him a wave and leaving to find Rip.

 

 

Meanwhile, Ray and Martin were having a discussion regarding beryllium, as Ray worked on fine tuning his latest enhancements to the suit.

Not that there needed to be any, but he had to keep busy. He never could stand to be idle.

Besides, it was important to him to always keep improving his work – the evolution of it was important when it came to learning more, and bringing better equipment and science into the mix was just as imperative to Ray.

 

“I’m not overly certain that beryllium would be the thing you’re looking for; it’s not as if it would be easy to obtain a significant enough amount to even experiment with, let alone bring the sort of power you’re wanting the booster packs to provide.” Martin told him, observing as Ray took apart one of the engines in an effort to add more horsepower. “It _is_ an interesting theory, however.”

Ray cocked his head, an idea forming in his mind.

“Unless we could figure out a way to grow our own.” Ray stated thoughtfully, taking a tiny screwdriver and removing the screws which helped keep a fan mounted. “It’s entirely plausible – Rip’s lab is incredibly advanced, and together we might be able to work the science out. I mean, if you’re interested.”

Martin smiled. He’d always loved Ray’s enthusiasm and zest for knowledge.

“Naturally, I’m interested. Why wouldn’t I be?” Martin replied, and Ray smiled back.

“That’s great!” Ray said, glad to hear it.


	3. Chapter 3

With the kitchen vacant at last, and the Doctor gone to speak with Rip, Leonard had his chance to take a crack at the TARDIS lock.

He’d taken out the small kit he always carried on him (it had come in handy more often than you might think) and set to work, keeping an ear out for signs of anyone approaching.

It hadn’t taken much to get in – it was precisely what it had looked like, an old lock.

Leonard had expected some kind of difficulty, and with having experienced none, he had a feeling that there would be some kind of backup system in store.

He slowly opened the door after unlocking it, stepping inside cautiously and shutting it behind him almost silently, twisting the lock before wandering fully into the console room with wide eyes.

It was colossal!

Leonard couldn’t comprehend just how it was possible. But, then, it wasn’t. It was a paradox, after all.

He took it in, trying not to think about it too much, and then started looking around the place for anything worth his time.

There was a lot of mechanical stuff,  boxes of junk stored away in a room, far too many books for anyone to be able to read in a single lifetime in a personal library, some ridiculous looking metal dog… All sorts of things, but nothing that seemed worth anything.

Leonard went over to the console, leaning against it and reading the monitor.

It was then that it had occurred to him just what he wanted to take.

 

   Mick had gone to his room, laying down on his bed and trying for a nap.

As he was relaxing as the final haze before getting some real snooze kicked in, he heard the familiar knock at his door.

“Piss off, I’m trying to sleep.” Mick called out in frustration, taking an arm and placing it over his eyes.

The pressure was soothing, and he was starting to slip back to near sleep when he heard the knock again, less patient this time.

He growled in annoyance, and went to answer.

“What?” Mick asked, yawning widely.

“You could put on a shirt for starters.” Leonard told him, noticing a new tattoo on his left upper arm.

“And, why would I do that?” Mick asked, getting cranky.

“Trust me.” Leonard replied, a small smile on his lips. “Finish getting dressed. I’ve got something to show you.”

 

 

Meanwhile, the Doctor was speaking to Rip in his office.

“So, what I’m going to need is for you to be willing to fly to the exact coordinates that I find. I can collect the beryllium myself, that’s not a problem.”

Rip gave a nod. “Fair enough. I suggest you begin working those coordinates out sooner rather than later.”

The Doctor nodded back. “I’ll do what I can. Tracking beryllium is a tricky business.”

She noticed something in Rip’s eyes, something noteworthy.

“You remember something new, don’t you?” She asked gently, and Rip looked at her as if she’d said something absurd. “Something you’ve never known, but is there just as if you had. Every last detail.”

“I’m sorry?” He tried to react as if she was completely barmy.

He was taken aback by how well she could tell what was happening to him.

It wasn’t as if she could read his mind. Could she?

He was beginning to wonder.

“Memories are terribly intricate things, really… Humans never have been able to understand what they are. Sure, at first glance, they seem simple enough. But, skim below the surface and there’s so much more to them.” She started, sitting down in the chair in front of the gleaming oak desk. “They aren’t just something to think back and reflect on, to remember.”

She paused for effect.

“Memories are a part of our very souls – they’re a fundamental part of any creature, and they live on for a long time after the body dies. And, I mean a _really_ long time.”

Rip was silent, listening to her in consideration.

“The thing is, and it’s incredibly rare, once in a very long while, another person’s memories will fuse with another’s – usually a relative, someone immediate like a parent or a sibling – and they become a part of that other person.” The Doctor explained. “They live on, sort of like a parasite.”

Rip cleared his throat. “That’s all rather interesting, now if I could get back to what I was doing before you dropped by?”

The Doctor didn’t budge. “I’ve had your father’s memories hanging ‘round the TARDIS for some time now. Felt him there. And, now, I can’t feel him, but I _can_ see him. Right there, in your eyes.” She told him as she leaned in, creeping Rip out. “Now, tell me, what do you remember?”

 

   Mick hadn’t been too happy about it, but had been lured by Leonard to leave his nice, warm bed and follow him.

They’d ended up in the kitchen.

Mick watched as Leonard casually looked around for others, then opened the TARDIS door.

Mick was definitely interested now.

His mouth hung open as he noted the difference between the inside and the outside.

He blinked his eyes quickly, as Leonard hurried him inside and shut the door.

“So, what do you think?” Leonard asked, gesturing around them with his hands. “Not bad, eh?”

Mick was yet adjusting to the illogicality.

“I broke in here, looking for something decent to take with me, and I realised that the best thing to steal would be the ship itself.” Leonard said nonchalantly, walking over to the console, running a finger along the edge. “From what I can tell, it can travel in time same as the Waverider. We could go back, fix our lives, have an actually pleasant existence, while the rest of the crew continue on with what they’re doing.”

Mick considered this, thinking it was a pretty decent idea.

He wouldn’t mind being happy. Wouldn’t mind having a normal sort of life, the type a lot of people take for granted.

“I’m in.” He confirmed, and Leonard grinned widely.

“I knew you would be.” He stated with confidence. “Now, where should we begin?”

Mick cocked his head to the side, looking at the numerous unmarked controls. “More like _how_ do we begin? It’s not as if we’ve got a manual to go by.”

Leonard made a thoughtful sound in his throat, his hands hovering over some of the controls. “Trial and error, Mick.”

And, with that, he flicked a couple of switches, hit a few buttons, and hoped for the best.


	4. Chapter 4

Rip believed the Doctor; it had started soon after the TARDIS had arrived, slowly at first, but the memories were now pouring into his mind with overwhelming haste.  
It hadn’t been comfortable to begin with, giving Rip a slight nagging headache, but now it was as if his head would split from the agony.  
The massive download of new information was nearly too much to bear, and everything went black.  
“Captain Hunter!” He’d heard her call in alarm, right before he’d fallen unconscious.  
The Doctor came straight to him, whipping out her sonic and scanning him.  
He’d be fine, but Rip would need to rest up a while once these new memories had congealed with his original ones.  
She knew that the crew would suspect her of doing something to their captain, but Rip would need to be moved from his chair eventually.  
Slumped in a heap like that wouldn’t be good for him, and he needed to be monitored – there was a small chance that his brain would try to reject the new information, at which point it would rupture.  
About to get someone from his crew to help move him to the sick bay, she heard it.

The sound of the TARDIS disappearing on the spot was loud enough to alert everyone on board.  
The crew had gone to investigate, wondering if another ship had joined the first, or if the Doctor had been able to leave without the beryllium after all.  
“Huh, guess she managed to fix everything pretty quickly. Kinda wish we’d been able to take a look inside before she left.” Ray said, hands on his hips. “Oh, well.”  
Martin nodded. “I would have enjoyed being able to take a look at the energy systems.”  
“The engines have got to be amazing. Would’ve been worth a look.” Jax added with a sigh. “I mean, for something that powerful, going by the sound at least, to be fit into something so small… They’ve got to be state of the art.”  
“Oh, they are.” The Doctor said from behind them, surprising the group. “Some of the best around. Worth the cost if you can find yourself a reasonable Frauelliak to make you a pair.”   
She stared at the spot where the TARDIS had stood.  
“Right, which of you is missing?” The Doctor demanded, sounding firm but still polite as her manner became more assertive.   
Sara crossed her arms. “You’re suggesting that one of us stole your phone box?”  
She didn’t want to admit it, but Sara had a distinct feeling that if it had been stolen, she was dead certain as to the culprits.  
“I’m telling you.” The Doctor answered her, back stiffening. “Now, you’re going to help me find out who, and you’re going to help me get it back.”  
Sara frowned. “Where’s our captain?” She asked the Doctor, knowing this she’d been the last to see him.  
The rest of the crew exchanged glances, before looking to the Doctor for an answer.  
The Doctor knew there wasn’t a good way to put it. “He’s incapacitated at the moment. Taken a bit ill. He’ll be fine, I’m sure.”  
Sara’s eyes flashed. “So, you’ve ‘incapacitated’ our captain?”  
The Doctor had known that this was where things were going to end up.  
It was all too predictable.  
“I’ve done nothing to him.” She clarified, raising her hands slightly in the air.  
Sara’s expression turned cold. “I want her secured until we find out what’s going on.” She told Jax and Ray, who grabbed hold of her.  
The Doctor wriggled. “Let go of me!” She snapped, and they listened to her.  
Sara rolled her eyes. “Y’know what, I’ll take care of it. You two go find Rip.”  
She took hold of one of the Doctor’s arms, keeping a good grip, and escorted her to a holding area.

Jax and Ray found Rip wilting in a heap in his chair.  
“Rip! Rip, wake up, man!” Jax sat him as upright as he could manage.  
Rip didn’t so much as stir.  
His pulse was slightly quicker than usual, and he seemed feverish to the touch.  
“Come on, let’s get him to the sick bay.” Ray said, helping Jax carry their captain.  
“For a skinny dude, Rip’s pretty heavy.” Jax remarked, blowing out a breath.

 

Gideon had diagnosed Rip as having an overload of new data being currently pumped into his mind – the result of which being an elevated pulse and core temperature.  
Sara didn’t like this.   
Just what the Doctor was doing to him, she couldn’t know.  
But, she was determined to find that out. Along with just who she was.  
“Gideon, give me all the information you can about ‘the Doctor’, as well as a ‘TARDIS’.”  
Gideon searched, scouring all information available to her for anything that matched these keywords.  
“There is nothing I can tell you about either the Doctor or the TARDIS, I’m afraid.” Gideon announced.  
Sara ran a hand through her long blonde hair. “Great. This is just great…” She grumbled.  
“Hey, Gideon, is there anyone missing from the Waverider?” She asked, remembering what the Doctor had said earlier.  
“Neither Mr. Rory nor Mr. Snart are onboard.” Gideon answered. “I have their absence being marked as starting 37 minutes ago.”  
Sara leaned against the console. “And, where are they now?”  
Gideon paused for a moment, gathering that information. “They are now in London, England, 1997.”  
Sara blinked. “The TARDIS is a time ship, then…” She murmured. “Gideon, is there any way to contact them?”   
“I’m afraid not, Miss Lance.”   
Sara swore beneath her breath.   
The only thing to do was go after them.  
She pressed the mic button. “Buckle up, everyone, we’re heading to the U.K.”

 

Leonard and Mick wandered through Leicester Square, crowds gathered here and there. Mainly tourists, by the look of things.  
“You landed us in Britain of all places?” Mick didn’t sound pleased.  
Didn’t look it, either.  
“Hey, at least we can catch the Spice Girls in concert.” Leonard remarked sarcastically, gesturing toward a poster. “You had a thing for – which one was it? Paprika? Cumin?”  
“Sporty, thank you very much.” Mick corrected automatically without skipping a beat, his face reddening. “Not that it’s important, but why’d you have to bring us here?”  
“Because, it was an accident, Mick!” Leonard said, becoming irritated. “Look, I know you hate the British. Not sure why, but you do. You want to wait back in the blue box, go ahead, but I’d like to see something for myself before giving it another shot.”  
Mick huffed.  
“I’m not going to wait back there like some bratty kid, Snart.” He grumbled, glaring at everyone he walked by.   
“Then, stop acting like one.” Leonard remarked, eyeing the back pocket of a middle class man who was standing to cross the street straight ahead.  
He elbowed Mick, subtly gesturing to the fat wallet with his chin.  
They had done this quite often back in the day, the routine coming back easily.  
Mick cleared his throat, coming up beside the man. “Sorry to bother you, mate, but would you happen to have the time at all?” He asked in his best Aussie impression.  
The man glanced down at his watch. “Half past.”  
Mick tried for an embarrassed smile. “Sorry, but half past what?”  
As this brief exchange took place, Leonard easily slipped his hand into the man’s pocket and retrieved the black leather wallet.  
His step backward signaled this.  
“Half past 12.” The man told him, and Mick nodded.  
“Bonza! Thanks, pal.” Mick said, feigning relief. “Honestly, at the rate I keep losing watches I might as well learn to tell time by the sun.”  
The other man chuckled good-naturedly as the walk light came on and he strolled away, with Mick heading toward a pub on the corner.  
Leonard followed. “Look, I’m not going to be long, maybe an hour. You want to stay here, that’s fine, just do me a favour and don’t go wandering off.”  
Mick gave an understanding grunt.  
“And, just for the record, your Australian accent is appalling. You probably shouldn’t use it, nobody’s gonna buy it and you’ll only attract attention.” He added, starting to walk away.  
“If you say so.” Mick said, heading inside.

The Doctor sat on the flat bench, conversating with Sara.  
“I’m guessing you’ve already confirmed that your captain is going to be just fine.” The Doctor said, lying down on the black slab.  
“Captain Hunter should be all right, yes.” Sara confirmed. “No thanks to you, I’m sure.”  
The Doctor sighed. “If I had meant to cause anyone here harm, I would have managed it already.” She pointed out. “Now, we’ve established that he’s going to be fine and dandy, but my TARDIS is still missing. Along with at least one of your crew members.”  
Sara couldn’t dispute this. “True, and we’re doing our best to recover your ship and our crew.”  
“I appreciate that, I really do, now could you please let me out of here?” The Doctor requested. “You won’t be able to manage that without my help.”  
Sara gave it some thought.  
“If you want to assign watchers to me, that’s fine, but it’s not like I’m going to try anything. I just want my TARDIS back, and some beryllium to get going again.” The Doctor said.  
“I’m considering it… But, before I make a decision, exactly what did happen to our captain?” Sara asked, placing her hands in her back pockets.  
The Doctor went over to lean her side against the glass in front of Sara, looking at her. “I knew Rip’s father.” She answered, tone softer than before. “His mum, too. Traveled with them for some time.”  
The Doctor sighed a bit sadly as she reminisced.  
“I lost them.” She said heavily, regret written all over her face. “Literally. Something awful happened, and they ended up in a part of time I couldn’t go. Still can’t.”  
Sara listened, finding herself also leaning against the glass.  
“When that happened, a part of Rory’s soul was left behind, enduring in the TARDIS. After he passed away a number of decades later, his memories all collected within it. And, when I ended up here, it found Captain Hunter and merged with his memories.” She explained the best she could.  
This seemed to coincide with what Gideon had said about the mass amount of information being forced into Rip.  
“If that’s true, then you really didn’t do anything to him.” Sara agreed cautiously.  
“Exactly.” The Doctor said emphatically.  
Sara took a breath. “If I let you out, you will stay in sight of crew members. No exceptions.”  
“Fair dos.” The Doctor agreed.

Just as Leonard had said, he wasn’t that long, and had found Mick guzzling back booze with a couple of girls and a guy around him.  
Typical.  
Leave Mick alone with a crowd, and he would inevitably end up with at least one flirting partner.  
Leonard knew he could trust Mick. That way, at least.  
He’d only cheated on him once. That was all it had taken for Leonard to threaten to leave completely.  
And, that was all it had taken for Mick to learn not to cross that particular line.  
There had been occasions where Leonard had consented for Mick to have outside ‘attention’, however those had always been discussed beforehand. And, Leonard had been very involved in some of those events.  
But, flirting was something of a neutral area; Mick had always been a natural at it, and it sometimes happened unintentionally.  
Leonard didn’t mind this much. He knew it wouldn’t lead anywhere significant.  
“Mick, it’s time to go.” He said casually, and Mick let out an annoyed groan.  
“Come on, one more. I’m still thirsty.” Mick argued, and his little crowd urged him to knock another back.  
“And bordering on smashed.” Leonard pointed out, coming closer. “Now, let’s go. I don’t know how much time we’ve got.”  
A short brunette raised her middle finger to him and sneered. “Fuck off, we were having a good time until you showed up.” She told him nastily, voice thick with alcohol.  
Mick had another shot. “Enough.” He growled at her, and she shoved him.  
The woman weaved where she stood, looking as if she might very well pass out.  
“You’re gonna listen to ‘im, then? Fine, shift over, I’m tired of standin’!” She scowled at him, pushing on his back.  
Leonard shook his head at the sight, as Mick got up from his seat.  
Outside, the bright light stung Mick’s eyes.  
“Where’d you go, then?” Mick asked, and Leonard shrugged.  
“Doesn’t matter.” Leonard told him, walking a bit more quickly than usual.  
Mick knew it wouldn’t do a thing to pry, and left it alone.


	5. Chapter 5

Once they were back in the TARDIS, Leonard went straight to the controls.

“How ‘bout letting me have a go?” Mick asked, joining him.

He had an idea of where he wanted to go, and thought that maybe, just maybe, things would work out and they’d end up meeting Al Capone.

Mick had been fascinated with the gangster ever since he’d learnt about him from the books he’d read back in juvie.

“Fine.” Leonard relented easily, wondering where he’d end up sending them.

He wasn’t keen on the idea of a Pontoffel Pock style adventure.

Mick peered at each toggle and button scrutinisingly, before settling on a random combination along the board.

The TARDIS did nothing.

Mick tried the another combination.

Still nothing.

Mick flicked a silver toggle, and she started up.

This time, they traveled much more quickly and were hurled backward until they were stuck against the wall.

It seemed like much longer than it actually had been before they landed with a crash.

“What the hell was that?” Mick shouted, sliding to the floor.

The first trip had been much gentler, with smooth sailing and an easy landing.

Leonard was a bit wobbly, but made his way to the door and opened it just enough to take a look at what lay beyond the exit.

He shut the door nearly as quickly.

“What is it?” Mick demanded, still sitting on the floor.

“I’m thinking we might’ve ended up somewhere besides earth…” Leonard said strangely, his forehead creased as he looked over to his friend.

“Nice try, Snart.” Mick shook his head, getting to his feet. “Like I’d fall for that.”

He went and looked outside.

“Uh…” Mick barely uttered.

“That’s what I was tryin’ to tell you.” Leonard said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Now, do we go out there, or do we try and see if third time’s a charm?”

Mick licked his lower lip. “Out there into a crowded alien market? Yeahhh, no.”

Leonard removed his hand. “Same here.”

He went straight over to the console. “Better leave before we garner attention.”

Leonard pressed just a few buttons, and the blue box was sent whirling.

When it had stopped again, and all was still, Mick opened the door to find stars and planets floating in the inky shadows of space.

“How are we not dead? Shouldn’t we have been sucked right out of this thing?” He asked, staring out at it all, mesmerised.

“No idea. Just be grateful that we’re still alive.” Leonard replied. “And, if our luck holds, I’ll be able to get this thing moving again before it stops shielding us.”

Mick tore his gaze away from the incredible view. “What, we’re stuck?”

Leonard gave a nod as he started looking at the wires.

“Wait a second… Blondie _did_ say that there was something wrong with this ship.” Mick said slowly. “You went and stole a dysfunctional ship, you idiot!”

Leonard glared daggers at him. “Hey, if it was as bad as she’d made it out to be, then it shouldn’t’ve even started up, let alone take us anywhere!”

“Yeah, that’s a great excuse, Snart! Just what I need to hear after you’ve gone and stranded us in the middle of literally nowhere!” Mick spat angrily, seizing the front of Leonard’s jacket.

Leonard shoved him away. “I’m fixing it, all right?” He snapped back. “Go and cool off.”

Mick cussed lowly as he left the console room, no idea where he was headed and not caring all that much.

 

   Rip awoke late in the day, fatigued and in some pain, but he seemed to be okay.

He got off of the sick bed, and hobbled dizzily to find his crew.

He happened upon Martin walking along the hall. “Rip! You’re ali- up! Up and at ‘em.”

“Where is she?” Rip questioned, and Martin guided him to where the Doctor sat in the rec area.

Martin urged him to sit, but Rip ignored him.

He could access every new memory, knew everything that his father had…

As a child who had grown up with parents that weren’t his own, this was beyond incredible.

And, _she’d_ known them.

This woman had known his parents.

But, beyond that, she hadn’t always been herself.

That is to say, the Doctor had lived different lives before this one, with different bodies and personalities to go with them.

“You need to sit before you fall down.” Martin told him decisively, bringing a chair to him.

Rip realised that his legs weren’t going to hold him much longer.

He sat down, watching the Doctor.

“We’re trying to get Snart and Mick back.” Sara updated him. “They went and stole her ship, but they haven’t been staying in one spot. And, now they’re off the radar.”

Rip shut his eyes, rubbing at them. “They _would_ have gone and done that.”

He blew out a puff of air.

“You’ve already tried contacting them, I suppose?” Rip asked Sara, who told him it was impossible to.

“And, there’s no way to call the TARDIS back?” Rip asked, knowing the answer already.

“No.” The Doctor said, an idea coming to her. “But, I might be able to knock up some kind of makeshift communications device, given some supplies and an area to build it in.”

Ray perked up at this. “Hey, maybe I could help.”

She grinned at him. “Maybe you could.” She agreed. “Ever work with cutlery before?”

Ray frowned. “I, uh, well, no, I can’t say that I have.”

The Doctor shrugged. “That’s all right, there’s always a first time.”

 

Ray was doing his best to follow what the Doctor was trying to do, but it wasn’t anything like he had thought it would be.

He was expecting the cutlery bit to have been a joke, and more advanced methods than this.

But, here they were putting together a particularly ugly cathode which was starting out as being made mostly out of forks and table knives, with a spork here and there.

If it would work, that was all that really mattered, but Ray was disenchanted by the lack of finesse.

“You’re doing great!” The Doctor told him kindly, though he wasn’t being of much use, to be honest.

It was at this point that Nate had come in, needing a bit of human contact.

He’d been on strict bedrest in his room, being checked on now and then, but he was bored and lonely and so had chosen to wander out of his bedroom.

If he hadn’t already read all of the decent looking books in Rip’s library, he’d have just grabbed something from there.

“Wow, who’s this?” He asked of the Doctor, who gave him a friendly wave.

“I’m the Doctor, and you must be Citizen Steel!” She was thrilled to meet him.

“Call me Nate.” He said, extending a hand to her.

She shook it, beaming at him all the while.

He glanced over to Ray. “She knows about us from when she was a little girl.” He explained vaguely.

“My mother told me all kinds of remarkable things about the Legends when I was a kid! I hadn’t known you were all actual people, at least, not for sure, until I ended up on the Waverider.” She expounded, and Nate looked uncertain.

“I see?” He said, sitting down on an empty chair with a hiss of discomfort.

The Doctor frowned. “You’re hurt? How could you possibly be wounded, you’re Citizen Steel?!” She asked, lifting up his shirt without requesting permission.

A big, nasty bruise stained his skin, and healing cuts and scrapes could be seen as well.

“How did this happen?” She asked him.

“My powers fizzled out, and I got my ass tossed around like a dog toy by, well, Clifford the Big Red Dog. Only, he’s not quite as friendly as you might think.”

The Doctor clicked her tongue sympathetically. “Must’ve been a _really_ big dog.”

Nate chuckled. “Big doesn’t cover it. This guy’s as large as a house.”

The Doctor raised a brow. “Doesn’t sound like it’d be from earth… What did you do with it?”

“Took him back to where he belonged.” Nate answered simply.

“That’s what we do… put things right which once went wrong.” Ray told her, wanting to be included. “Kind of like Sam Beckett.” He added, earning himself two confused looks.

“You know, Quantum Leap?” Ray tried, not that it had helped. “Well, it was big when I was a kid. Never missed an episode. Except the very last one… I hate when things end.”

The room fell silent.

“Anyway, we took the dog back to where it had come from and that was that.” Nate said. “And, what do you mean ‘not from earth’?”

“I mean he might be a big red alien, well, alien to you, anyway. You’d be just as much of an alien to him, to be honest.” She said seriously. “Was he the only one?”

“Uh, as far as we know.” Nate responded, putting his shirt back down. “What are you two working on?”

“Communications device.” Both the Doctor and Ray answered in chorus.

Nate studied the mass of metal, which was being built onto with an umbrella and other bits and bobs.

It looked like a second grader’s art project.

“Cool.” Nate lied, watching as they worked for a bit longer, before excusing himself and leaving.

“As soon as I get the TARDIS back, I can have his injuries healed.” She told Ray. “Not sure about his powers, mind…”

“They came back before, maybe they’ll come back again.” Ray said, feeling bad for the guy.

The Doctor pressed her lips together. “I’m sure they will, somehow. He _is_ Citizen Steel, after all.”

Ray looked their work over, thinking it looked much better now than when they’d started.

“Sorry, but I’ve got to ask – why are we building a device from rudimentary objects, when there’s a ton of suitable materials available?” Ray queried, having been unable to think of a good answer on his own.

“Actually, I’ve had to do this once before, when the TARDIS was stuck in a loop in space while I was down on earth. A friend of mine was up there, too, and if I hadn’t been able to make a device to talk to her, I’m not entirely sure how things would have worked out. It was thanks to her the TARDIS got unstuck, really. She did most of the hard work.” The Doctor told him, thinking that without Amy, the TARDIS might’ve been stuck there quite a lot longer than it had been. “I’m hoping it’ll be quicker than trying to create a more advanced type, considering I’ve done it before.”

“That’s fair.” Ray said, wondering what to do with the paperclips.

The Doctor took them from him, working them into different spots, twisting a few of them very specific ways, and soldering others.

 

 


	6. Chapter Six

While Leonard fiddled away, doing his best to get the TARDIS working again, Mick had found the swimming pool, the library, and the kitchen.

Mick didn’t find any booze at all, which he wasn’t too delighted about.

He wouldn’t have minded getting full on plastered about then.

But, he did find the fixings to make a superb Rueben sandwich, which had at least soothed his empty stomach.

After eating, he made another one and brought it to Leonard, who was looking frustrated as he sat below the console, working away.

Mick offered him the plate, and Leonard hesitantly took it.

“I’m sorry I got us stuck out here.” He apologised, wiping his hands on his trousers before picking the sandwich up and taking a bite.

“As long as we get out of this, I’ll get over it.” Mick said, joining him on the floor.

Leonard took another bite, grateful for the food.

“And, not to sound corny, but hey, even if we do end up dying out here, at least we’ve got each other.” Mick said, trying to fill the silence.

Leonard blinked, trying not to choke.

For whatever reason, this was particularly funny, and he began chuckling.

Mick joined in, and soon peals of laughter were echoing off the metal walls.

 

   “Gideon, would you please try to locate Mr. Snart and Mr. Rory?” Rip asked hopefully.

“I’m afraid I am unable to find either, Captain Hunter.” Gideon said. “However, I _am_ detecting traces of beryllium in certain patterns which may or may not lead to the TARDIS.”

That had been something that they hadn’t thought of.

“Great, let’s do that.” Rip told her, and she began calculating away.

Within a few minutes, Gideon had identified all of the patterns and had charted out a course.

Rip called everyone in, and they buckled up.

And, Rip started heading them out to where Gideon’s route ended – smack dab in the middle of the Andromeda galaxy.

 

   It was impossible to tell how much time had passed, but both men were exhausted.

“I think I saw a bedroom not too far from here.” Mick suggested, the floor rather cold and uncomfortable. “Come on.”

Mick tried to remember just where he’d seen it, trying a few rooms before finding it again.

It was a pleasant room, with sturdy looking furniture and gold coloured carpeting.

Leonard went straight over to the king-sized bed and lay down, kicking off his shoes and letting them land wherever they would.

Mick slipped his off at the side of the bed, more out of habit than anything, then cuddled up to Leonard.

This room was a lot warmer, and the bed was so comfortingly soft, that it was simple to feel at ease.

Even if they _were_ marooned in space.

“Are you still angry with me?” Mick heard Leonard ask apprehensively.

“Nah.” Mick answered. “I’d’ve done the same thing. It isn’t as if I’d remembered the ship was busted, either.”

Leonard relaxed a bit.

He turned over to face Mick and snuggled into his firm body.

Mick held him there, trying to keep from thinking of anything but this moment – how it felt to have Leonard cuddled up to him, the warming of his body, the yielding mattress beneath them… Anything but their current situation.

 

   The Waverider had made its way to the exact coordinates, but found nothing.

“Gideon, where is the TARDIS?” Rip asked, looking for any sort of clue.

“The TARDIS is not located here, however the beryllium trail does lead to this precise location. I’m afraid there is nothing more I can tell you about it.” Gideon said matter-of-factly.

Rip pressed a closed hand to his mouth, his brows knit together.

“We’ll find them.” Sara told him, trying to be reassuring.

“And, when we do, those two are no longer a part of the team.” Rip stated, making up his mind. “We can’t afford loose cannons on the ship. Not when what we do is so important.”

Sara didn’t entirely agree. She didn’t say anything, but given the chance, she’d have probably tried it, too.

It was a thrilling prospect, and she found herself unable to truly blame the guys.

“How could the trail lead us here, when the ship is nowhere to be found? Unless, they were picked up by a salvage crew or something like that…” Rip began pondering that probability.

“Except, the TARDIS would still be leaking beryllium, wouldn’t it? Enough to leave a trace that we could follow.” Sara thought out loud.

“Mm, no, not if the engines aren’t running. The sphere doesn’t function all the time, only when the ship is actually moving.” Rip said, a bit disconcerted by what he’d just said. “Must be the new memories…” He added, trying to explain it.

“Must be.” Sara replied, wondering what else he knew because of them.

“Well, it looks as if we’re going to have to rely on that communications device. I can’t think how else we’re going to reach Mr. Snart and Mr. Rory.” Rip said, wondering what they would be up to. “If we’re fortunate, they won’t have gone and sold it.”

“I doubt they’d have gone that far.” Sara told him, pulling her hair loose from her ponytail and giving it a shake. “They were probably just bored, I don’t think they meant to take it for more than maybe a joyride.”

“Which is bad enough in itself, Miss Lance.” Rip said, his energy waning again as he became more frustrated with the state of affairs. “I need to take some rest. You’re in charge while I’m away from command.”

Sara nodded seriously. “No problem, I’ve got this.”

Rip stood up, nearly collapsing back into his seat.

Sara offered him her hand, pulling him up, then assisting him to his room.

Before leaving him, she turned back. “If you need anything, just ask. I know you, you’d rather not bother anyone, but you should know that you wouldn’t be bothering us. We care about you, Rip. Let us look after you once in a while, when you need it.”

Rip managed a smile.

He loved this weird and wonderful family that he’d ended up bringing together.

“All right, Sara.” Rip told her, feeling touched. “I promise.”

“Good.” Sara said. “I’ll come back with supper in about an hour. Now, before I go, do you need anything?”

Rip shook his head. “No, thank-you.”

She nodded. “You’re welcome.” She said, and then left.

 

   “That should about do it…” The Doctor said, putting the last finishing touch on the communications device.

She clicked the radio on, tuning it to a specific point, and then tried the walkie-talkie. “Hello? Hello, anyone there?”

Silence.

The Doctor adjusted the tuning knob slightly, and tried again.

Ray watched in suspense, keeping quiet as he sat next to her on the floor.

The Doctor twiddled with the umbrella a bit, made sure the mobile was doing its job, and then coiled the purple paperclip near the toy robot’s motor (which Ray had donated to the cause).

She tried again, and again.

Finally, feeling absolutely positive that this was the most accurate frequency, the Doctor tried a tentative “Hello, can anybody hear me? Is there anyone there?”

She waited patiently for a response. “Hello?”

A moment later, they could hear Leonard’s voice. “Hello.”

Ray cheered loudly, before quickly going quiet again after a fast apology.

The Doctor wasn’t upset. Of course he’d been glad to have reached his crewmates. And, seeing how much of a nerd he was, he’d have been pretty glad that the device functioned, too.

“I want you to take a look at the monitor. Read the coordinates back to me slowly.” She instructed Leonard.

“Give me a second, here…  2C 56.” He relayed.

“Great, now tell me the date on the bottom of that display.” She told him, listening very carefully.

“23/03/1970.” Leonard read out to her, wondering what sort of trouble they were going to end up in once they were back on the Waverider.

He hadn’t considered that they might’ve ended up in this kind of situation when he’d decided to take the TARDIS and run with it.

He’d been so convinced that taking the TARDIS would be the answer to mending his and Mick’s lives...

Which was unlike Leonard, who usually was the type to plan things out.

“Right, I want you to adjust the date by using the switches right below the screen to your proper current date. Then, I want you to add these coordinates in using the switch next to it - longitude: 179° 56′ 39.4″ latitude: +0° 2′ 46.2″.”

 

“Come again?” Leonard asked, and the Doctor repeated the coordinates.

Leonard did as he was told.

“Now, you’ll need to use the following controls on the cons-“ The Doctor began, but was cut off.

“Yeah, this ship ain’t flying.” Leonard told her, his sentence punctuated by a particularly thunderous snore from down the hall. “We’ve already tried, and at this point the lights won’t even come on.”

The Doctor closed her eyes.

This was bad.

If even the lights were out, life support systems would be next…

“I see.” She said, swallowing. “Sit tight, we’ll do all we can from this end.”

Ray noticed the anxiety on her face. “What is it?”

“We need to work fast. The TARDIS is losing energy faster that I could’ve guessed, and unless we get them back soon… I don’t know how long they’ve got.” The Doctor admitted, her thoughts going a mile a minute as she tried to figure out a solution. “If only the Waverider could do more than just travel through time. I mean, sure, you can fly it into space, but not far enough to actually get anywhere. Only a few thousand feet higher than an airplane, really.”

Suddenly, she smacked Ray’s arm hard, and he flinched.

“Brilliant!” She said victoriously, getting to her feet. “Come on, I’ve got just the ticket!”

 

   “I need unrestricted access to the mechanics of the Waverider.” The Doctor told Sara, who was more than a bit hesitant to permit this. “I can make a few tweaks to the system, and then we can travel in actual space to get to your crew and the TARDIS.”

Sara mulled it over. “Take Jax with you, and make sure to tell him just what you’re doing, as you’re doing it.”

The Doctor agreed, and soon she and Jax were in with the engines and all the important stuff that made the ship run.


	7. Chapter Seven

Leonard had gone back to the bed Mick was currently snoring his head off in, wondering if he’d get any sleep now. Even without that din, he’d probably end up spending the rest of the night awake.

“Shut up!” Leonard groaned, flopping down beside Mick, who woke.

He managed some unintelligible words, before beginning to snore again.

Leonard closed his eyes, recalling the time Mick had actually slept straight through a fire alarm. Which, had turned out to be false, but still… Leonard was sure that man could sleep through just about anything.

 

   The Doctor was doing all she could to alter the Waverider in a timely fashion – Jax had been watching closely the entire time with rapt attention.

It took some time, but after a lot of work and a few improvised fixes, they were ready for a test run.

With some help from Gideon, the Doctor managed to have everything fully operational.

There had to be some rerouting of the power, but everything was still online, and the Waverider was able to beam straight next to the drifting TARDIS.

The Doctor was relieved.

The sight of the TARDIS all dark and dreary wasn’t exactly welcoming, but at least she knew what was wrong and could manage the repairs.

Rip brought the TARDIS onboard, and the Doctor unlocked the ship and went inside.

From the dirty plate left on the floor, she could see that they’d found the kitchen all right.

The rest of the crew wandered aboard, their reactions ranging from shocked to ‘astonished’.

The air quality wasn’t as good as it should have been, and the air was bordering on bitterly cold.

“Stay here.” The Doctor told the crew. “And, please, try not to touch anything.”

She went to search for the two twits who’d been to blame for all of this, speaking to the TARDIS soothingly as she did.

The Doctor rubbed her arms, the chill air giving her goosebumps.

It took her maybe five minutes to find the guys, huddling together beneath the blanket for warmth.

“Oi!” She called out, crossing her arms and looking down at them from the foot of the bed.

Mick stirred, looking blearily in the direction her voice had come from.

“That’s right, wakey-wakey, no eggs and bakey! Time to get up.” She called, trying not to be too upset with them.

After all, _she_ had run away with the TARDIS herself a very long time ago.

Mick sat up, while Leonard was still.

The Doctor noted the bluish tint to the thinner man’s lips.

“Oh, no…” She murmured, swiftly heading over and checking for a pulse.

Mick’s eyes bugged as he saw what the Doctor was seeing, and started to panic.

She could just detect a slow pulse and dangerously shallow breaths.

“Hang on a tick, I’ve got this.” The Doctor told him calmly, leaving the room and coming back with a smallish leather box.

She opened it, releasing a cloud of gold dust.

It settled thickly around Leonard, much of it entering his nostrils.

“Nanogenes.” The Doctor explained. “Great healers, they are. Able to repair nearly any medical issue within a matter of minutes. He’ll be fine, I promise.”

Mick stared at his friend in silence, his stomach wrought in horrible knots.

The Doctor placed a hand on his shoulder. “I promise.” She repeated gently, as the nanobots began to collect themselves back into the box.

Leonard was a healthy colour once more, and his skin was warm to the touch.

His breathing and pulse were restored, and he began to wake.

Mick let out a relieved gasp, suddenly realising his cheeks were wet.

He wiped the tears away, as Leonard looked at him with a frown.

“What is it, what’s wrong?” He asked in concern, sitting up and looking into Mick’s eyes.

He’d only ever seen Mick cry once before, and that had been when something unspeakable had happened to him.

Mick couldn’t have said anything even if he’d wanted to, and embraced Leonard in a tight bear hug.

“You’re… crushing… me!” Leonard squeaked, and the Doctor couldn’t help herself, she dissolved into happy giggles.

After Leonard had been released from Mick’s firm grip, he coughed a bit dramatically.


	8. Chapter Eight

   With everyone safely back on the Waverider, the atmosphere was one of relief.

Martin had gone and made a remarkable celebration supper; asiago and paprika mashed potatoes, a five layer dip, fresh vegetables, roast beef, and two types of his special blintzes.

Everyone seemed content, and Rip had even neglected to follow through on his threat to kick Snart and Rory off the ship.

Not that Sara had thought he would. Rip had a soft spot for every last one of his team, even if they could be a major pain in his tush.

 

   With some help from Martin and Ray, the Doctor was able to repair the cracked sphere with lab cultivated beryllium, and was given a small amount to nurture so that it would keep reproducing.

That had taken a few weeks, and the Doctor had enjoyed her time there; she’d become great friends with them, and had even helped manage a couple of anachronisms.

One of them had been Beebo, again.

The Doctor had thought him absolutely adorable, and had one way or another managed to befriend him.

Of course, that had made things easier.

It had turned out that Beebo was simply a toy which had been hijacked by a rather tiny, nearly minuscule, alien.

The poor thing had been lost, and had found a new home (and method of transport/interaction) which had served their needs quite well.

The Doctor had promised to take them back home once it was time for her to leave, and the alien had sworn they wouldn’t cause any more trouble.

 

When it came time to leave, the Doctor felt a chilly pit in her stomach – she didn’t want to go back to her solitude. It hurt too much.

She looked at them gloomily, knowing she couldn’t stay.

Then, before saying goodbye, she perked up.

“I was thinking, you lot have been working hard for a very long time… How about a vacation? Anywhere in time and space you’d like.” She offered eagerly, hands in her pockets.

The crew talked amongst themselves a minute or two, sounding agreeable.

“I’ll have to stay behind, but everyone else is free to go.” Rip told them all.

The Doctor frowned deeply. “Nah, you can come and all! I’ll even bring the Waverider along. Everything tied up in a neat little package.”

“I know your ship’s bigger on the inside, but…” Rip trailed off, cocking an eyebrow.

“Trust me, it’ll fit.” The Doctor guaranteed him. “The TARDIS has seen bigger in her day.”

Mick didn’t bother trying to hide his ugly snort of laughter. “I’ll bet she has.”

“Oh, come on!” The Doctor rolled her eyes. “Seriously?”

Rip shook his head, letting out a pained sigh. “He’s got the sense of humour of a fifth grader, I swear.”

The Doctor turned back to him, ignoring Mick as he said something crude which went along with what she’d said before, Sara joining in with a lewd addition of her own. “Anyway, there’s enough room for everyone, if you want to come along.”

Rip _did_ want to go… To travel in that blue box same as his dad had done before him.

“That would be good.” Rip told her with a nod, thinking that this could turn out to be great fun. “Yes, I’d love to join you on the TARDIS.”

The Doctor grinned, clasping her hands together. “Brilliant! Absolutely fantastic!” She enthused. “If everyone will head on in, I’ll set about bringing the Waverider on board. But, first, where does everyone want to go? ‘Course, I’ve got to take the little guy back home first, but after that…”

She hadn’t thought this entirely through, because the small crowd all began talking at once.

“Woah, okay, woah there!” She said, hands in the air. “I heard Aruba, the moon, 1940’s New York, and February 29th, 1992…”

She blew out a breath.

“Hm, I don’t suppose everyone could agree on one place?” She asked, hands on her hips.

Going from the looks on their faces, it was a no.

“Right, I’ve got time on my side… Let’s start with, say, New York, 1943?” She asked. “And, then, we can go from there.”

Everyone was in agreeance, and the Doctor went over to the controls and skillfully tapped this button and that, twiddling a couple of knobs, and the TARDIS roared to life.

“Geronimooo!!!” The Doctor shouted gleefully, as the gravity in the TARDIS began to change.

The blue box began spinning through time and space, disappearing from where they’d been and then reappearing right in Central Park on top of someone’s picnic.

The smooching couple hadn’t been hurt at all, and had ended up sitting on the TARDIS floor, rather than being unceremoniously squished.

They’d shrieked deafeningly, and Sara had opened the door for them as she tried to keep her ears covered.

Watching as the lovebirds fled as fast as their feet could take them, the Doctor felt bad for them.

“Well, we’re off to an interesting start… Mick, since you picked out this trip, you’re in charge.”

The corners of Mick’s mouth turned upward, knowing just where he’d begin – tracking down Al Capone, wanting to meet the gangster who’d fascinated him so much as a kid.


End file.
